After a strenuous workout, an athlete's muscles often feel tight and sore. Some desire to massage such muscles after a workout to reduce the tightness and soreness. In addition to pain relief, post workout massages may provide other benefits to an athlete. For example, improved flexibility, improved range of motion, and muscle recovery are promoted as benefits to post workout massages.
Often such athletes have a masseuse, or another type of professional, massage the muscles that were affected from the workout. Such massages may be administered on a massage table. However, some athletes receive their massages from an acquaintance while lying on a gym mat or other location. In some cases, an athlete may self-massage muscles with his hands or with a massage device.
Some massage devices are constructed to be rolled or pushed across a portion of the athlete's body. other types of massage devices are constructed to vibrate up against the sore muscles. Such vibrating massage devices can be battery powered.
One type of massage device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,552 issued to Harvey Lipowitz. In this reference, a computer controlled message device can massage the entire body or any selected portion thereof. The massage may be generated by a standardized program or by an individualized program created by the user. The movement of the applicator is controlled simultaneously and independently in all three axes, transversely across the body (X axis), longitudinally along the length of the body (Y axis) and vertically on the contour of the body (Z axis). The device can also detect the perimeter of the body and prevent the massage applicator from moving beyond the outer perimeter of the body. Furthermore, a manual control system is incorporated which enables the user to override and change the parameters inserted by the program or to insert an individualized massage routine. Another type of massage device is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0073552 issued to Michael W. Knight.